Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Colombia about the safety and security of residents in Rio Quinto.

We are aware of reports of violence by illegal armed groups in the Rio Quito. We remain extremely concerned about the continued presence of illegal armed groups in Colombia, and the impact their activity has on local people - even more so at this challenging time.

We regularly raise our concerns about these issues with the Colombian Government and in multilateral fora. Most recently, our Permanent Representative to the United Nations spoke on this at the UN Security Council on 14 April, and we consistently press the Colombian Government to focus on extending the rule of law to all parts of the country.

Colombia has made significant progress in its efforts to end the influence of such groups, and we remain steadfast in our support of the Colombian authorities as they work towards sustainable peace.